The Strawbs 1968

 

The Strawbs 1968

by Pete Clemons

The Strawbs story it seems goes back as far as 1963. But during 1967 The Strawberry Hill Boys were formed. They earned a sizeable reputation as a bluegrass group. Dave Cousins and Tony Hooper began to get a little more adventurous. After a spell with Sandy Denny and a succession of double bass players the band settled down as The Strawbs. During this time The Strawbs appeared in and around Coventry several times.

One such performance was during January 1968 at Warwick University's folk club. The Strawbs performance apparently surprised those who had been familiar with their previous style which was Country and Western and Blue Grass.

During that performance and in the words of Dave Cousins they got 'pissed off' with that style and had started to sing their own material which they say is influenced by, if anything, the Beatles whom they consider as folk writers - an opinion many would have found hard to swallow.

The Strawbs no longer liked ethnic folk but occasionally they played a blue grass number because people still enjoyed them. Dave's banjo playing was, certainly, extremely good. The songs which they had written, and were showcasing during 1968, were extremely genuine an impression one does not always get with many so called folk songs.

Amongst the best of them was the disturbing 'The Man who called himself Jesus', the beautiful and sad 'And You Need Me' and 'Spanish is a Loving Tongue' both of which were sung by Tony Hooper who had an exceptionally expressive and moving voice.

The Strawbs finished their set with a very funny rendering of 'Your Mother, Won’t be Home' with Dave playing the piano very badly and Tony and Ron Chesterman striking dramatic poses.

May 1968 and The Strawbs returned. With the exception of their bluegrass numbers it was reported that the Strawbs were 'rather disappointing in the first half'.

That said Tony Hooper's banjo playing was very good and appreciated by the audience. After the interval, they did some better songs, including 'Break the News to Mother'. It seems that during the second half The Strawbs sang more satirical songs, more in keeping with the humour of their introduction to the songs.

As with the January appearance, an outstanding number was 'The Man Who Called Himself Jesus'. Their closing number , 'Break the News to Mother' was rendered with suitable pathos, and heart-rending sighs, being the tragic tale of a young drummer boy who saved his company's flag. So good was it, that they came back for an encore, a spiritual that at last revealed the Strawbs as the talented group they are.

As the 1960s became the 1970s The Strawbs became aligned more to rock music with Dave Cousins becoming more interested in the electric guitar. This led to a succession of wonderful releases from a variety of line up's. But despite those marvellous albums I do like to dip back into their folky period now and again.

Sadly, it seems, time has ensured that The Strawbs have played their last gig. But what a band they were and what a legacy they leave us with.

.............................

Trev Teasdel adds - 

Another Coventry gig for the Strawbs was February 6th 1971 as part of the Lanchester Polytechnic Arts Festival (now Coventry University) alongside Ralph McTell and Mr Fox.

At this time Rick Wakeman was playing with the Strawbs on Grand Piano before leaving to join Yes. It was quite a night and the Strawbs, who were on last, went over time and the Lanch tired pulling the plug on them but the crowd cheered when the band who had mostly acoustic instruments continued playing and of course Rick Wakeman treated us to a gorgeous grand piano solo.

In 1980 i moved to Teesside and found that Dave Cousins was Radio Controller of Radio Tees - the commercial station in Stockton on Tees - I caught playing a solo gig at the nearby Dovecot Arts Centre, as he was trying to launch a solo career. We started putting on poetry performance gigs at the Dovecot in 1982 and afterwards the Dovecot engaged Bob Pegg of the support group Mr Fox as writer in residence with all his folklore experience.

Mr Fox - The Gypsy

Streets of London by Ralph McTell

The Strawbs with Sandy Denny I'm on My Way

The Dirt Road Band - Birmingham

 

The Dirt Road Band - Birmingham

by Pete Clemons

Time is of the essence rues the hackneyed quotation, and no matter how conceptions of it may change, in rock music, it still remains true that the person who lays it down is, or should be, the heart and soul of the group whatever its size.

So when Horace Panter quipped, during a guitar changeover, that it's great to be here, but at our age it's great to be anywhere, that old phrase suddenly felt all the more poignant.

The Dirt Road Band have been a good stylish band for getting on for a decade now. But I don't think I have ever seen them perform as well as they are doing during there current round of gigs.

Given the combined experience of the band members, Ted Duggan - drums, Steve Walwyn – guitars/vocals and Horace Panter – bass/vocals/ad libs, it is difficult to find any meaningful superlatives. As such it sounds strange to say that these guys are at top of their game. But it really is true.

A typical gig is sprinkled with takes of classics such as 'Laundromat', 'Tulane', 'Further on up the Road' and the showstopping version of 'Rolling and Tumbling'. Every song was projected with the right amount of meaning and without wringing them dry. Every effect, held note and ending was carried off with conviction and precision.

As this particular gig was in Birmingham another tip of the hat towards Steve Gibbons was made by way of Bob Dylan's 'Watching the River Flow'.

The Dirt Road Band also showcased some new tunes. 'Cutting Room Floor' was one. I honestly thought, as has happened before, that the band had been delving into the box marked 'obscure blues back catalogue' once again. But no genuinely surprisingly to discover that they were songs written by Horace.

I think its fair to say that Horace is not renowned for his songwriting abilities. But here they were for all to hear, and, wow!, they fitted into the equation remarkably well.

A 10 track CD, by The Dirt Road Band, is due to be released soon. And, can I just add that this album is long overdue.

I do have it on good authority that the album is made up of all new songs. None of them covers. And, of the new songs, it is around a 50/50 split between Horace and Steve as to who wrote them. The album also features Bob Jackson on keyboard.

And again, from the same source, the launch of the album is to be held at the legendary 100 club in London.

But back to the Birmingham gig. It was billed as loud and live. It most certainly was. But not uncomfortably loud. It must be so good to play in a club where people genuinely appeared to enjoy the blues. And that was clearly evident at Henry's Blues House on Broad Street.

Final word is from Horace: I think it would be safe to say that we rocked like motherfuckers tonight…........I for one wouldn't argue with that. They were absolutely blistering.

The Who – Warwick/Lanchester Polytechnic 1970

 

The Who – Warwick / Lanchester Polytechnic 1970

It was due to have been the biggest night in Warwick University arts history. It could have been the most notorious concert in Warwick's then short history.

On the 14th November 1970 The Who were due to play Rootes Hall on the campus. After some complex negotiations the venue has been agreed, subject to confirmation from the manager of The Who. Sadly, in the end it all fell through.

Originally, the concert had been planned for the workroom. The Who's management had agreed to the dimensions quoted. But days later a call was received to say that the group's stage act was impossible in a room less than 30 feet high - the workroom head height was just 13 feet.

A new venue was required. It was then planned for the glass doors of the Airport Lounge to have been removed to create one vast open space within Rootes Hall. A kind of theatre in the round if you like. In that way it should be possible to fit 1300 people in for the concert.

The Who's contract was described as a 'most unusual document' made provision for such extras as a security man for each musician, and drinks for the group - one of whom insisted on Napoleon Brandy.

In total the Warwick Union would have had to have to met the cost of 26 security staff plus the drink. Additionally they would have to foot the bill for any damage caused, as well as a fee of £1150 for the show, which included the supporting group.

All this would have made the concert the biggest, the best and the most expensive ever undertaken at Warwick. But it still hung in the balance.

The same tour saw The Who due to play the Lanch later the same month on 28 November. During the negotiations, and trying to protect their interest, the Lanch's social secretary wanted to get an exclusion clause written into their contract preventing The Who from appearing anywhere within a 40 mile radius around Coventry for a month before and a month after their appearance at the Lanchester. Basically they didn't want punters spending their cash at Warwick and not having enough left for their gig.

By then 960 tickets, out of the total of 1300, had already been sold for the Warwick gig. When the full number of tickets had been sold, there was also the possibility of another 100 being printed.

A week or so before the scheduled date it was announced that The Who would definitely not be playing at Rootes Hall. The deal was off, unless yet another new venue could be found. The tickets had already been printed and most of them sold at £1 a time. But it wasn't to be and attendees were offered a full refund.

The Who's concert at Lanchester on November 28 also hung in the balance. Similarly it was threatened by the stringency of the contract.

Although the Lanch had a suitable hall, with a suitable stage, facilities needed to be provided for the special lighting effects, safety fences and a reinforced stage which was necessary to support the antics of the group as well as the weight of equipment.

As the Who had appeared at the Lanchester previously the union was confident that all the problems should be ironed out and the concert should take place.

And so it did with a set almost identical to the classic Live at Leeds album released earlier in the year.

More on the Lanch Poly Gig 1970 with the Who here https://coventrygigs.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-lanch-lanchester-polytechnic-gigs.html

Reno

Reno

by Pete Clemons

RENO on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049294732954

Reno were a Coventry/Nuneaton based group who performed around the Midlands. I particularly remember them from the crazy evenings at the Ryton Bridge Hotel which had an outdoor stage and swimming pool. Inevitably, some folk would end up in that pool.

The band had only been formed a few weeks before they auditioned to appear on the New Faces show. Their first ever performance of their American West Coast sound certainly impressed the producer of the show, Albert Stevenson. It only took him a matter of minutes to spot the quality of the group and their audition, announcing ‘we’ll have you on the show.’

At the time of their audition the group were, Mick Broadhurst (bass), Don Ker (guitar), Dave Simpson (drums), Paul Price (guitar) and Pete Brazil (guitar), who were all no strangers to Coventry’s music scene. They had all played with local groups, including The Sorrows, Patsy Powell and Staveley Makepiece before forming Reno.

Another gig was during 1977 when the group were invited to Warwick University by courtesy of the country and western society. This despite the fact that they were far from a country and western act. By the time of this gig Pete Oliver had replaced Don Ker.

The closest that Reno came to being country and western was in their version of 'New Kid in Town' by the Eagles. Wary of being type cast for their performance for Eagles' numbers Reno tended to broaden out into a much wider field ranging from 50's rock n roll to modern day rock music.

Reno wrote their own material and earned themselves a number of bookings across the UK for the summer of 1977 and regularly appeared at The New Phoenix, Fletchamstead Highway, Coventry throughout that year. In 1978 they were still playing live shows and were also perfecting their own original sound in a recording studio with their music was being plugged by two Radio One DJs, Dave Lee Travis and David ‘Kid’ Jensen.

The band bought an expensive sound system, used in their live performances, from their good friends the Electric Light Orchestra, and it served them well in their new venue at the Ryton Bridge Hotel, Coventry. They had also signed a publishing deal with United Artists for their original songs, written by Paul Price and Pete Brazil, but all were reluctant to give up their full-time jobs until they had a firm chance of becoming a successful group.

A report about the uni gig mentioned that 'Although the group played to a mere 130 people, all who were present thoroughly enjoyed a sparkling performance. Musically the group were faultless. Hopefully after the group has appeared on DLT's show and also In Concert in the spring more people will turn up to their next visit here next year'.

It continued 'The variety of talent in Reno can be appreciated by studying a round up of the group. Mick Broadhurst bass guitar and lead vocals, Pete Brazil, lead guitar, accordion, vocals and songwriter, Paul Price, steel, acoustic and Spanish guitars, electric banjo, mandolin, violin, and backing vocals-not bad eh! Pete Oliver, acoustic guitar and backing vocals and Dave Simpson, drums, harmonica and vocals. Here is a group of tremendous versatility both vocally and musically as you can see from the variety of instruments played'.

Reno held a reunion during 2016 and again during 2018.

More on the Coventry bands 1960's to Now 

West of Midnight - Reno

Devil's Window Reno

Bert Jansch 1966

 

Bert Jansch 1966

by Pete Clemons

March 1966 saw Bert Jansch will be playing at a local folk club in Coventry. It was described as an 'event not to be missed. If you happen to go, you will see a very nervous young man, who manages to transform his nervous energy into some of the best guitar-playing in the country. Most of the songs he sings are his own compositions'.

They combine the good simplicity of traditional folk music, (such as that of the singing of Anne Briggs, heard at the Folk Club earlier this term), with an amazing guitar technique, which he says is wholly American. Although he is only 22, Bert Jansch has already made two L.P's, ('Bert Jansch' and 'It Don't Bother Me': issued by Transatlantic Records), and is becoming increasingly popular all over the country.

Bert had recently given up residencies at Les Cousins and Scots Hoose in order to tour other areas. He says he will probably take up another residency: 'All my friends are in London - and I play first of all for my friends'. He also plays because he must. 'If I had no money, I'd be a bum-but playing the guitar. And money-well, I've never had any-you see money just doesn't mean anything to me. If I'd been brought up with money, then I reckon I'd need it. But I've never had any, so it just doesn't worry me'.

His words reflected his indifference to many things. He claims the audience hardly matters 'If they're too intent, they frighten me, but I like them to be interested - I can't stand it when they're not'.

Bert's claim to indifference was probably wishful thinking, for being so nervous, he senses atmosphere instantly. If people talk, he asks them to shut up, or cups his hand to his ear as if to listen to them! If they give no response to his work, he makes remarks like 'This song is about dreams, so the words don't mean anything - at least not to you. But then I doubt if any of the words mean anything to you'.

The words of his songs are often missed, partly because of the brilliance of the music, which always dominates a song - "I am more a guitarist than a song-writer: the words aren't important" - and partly because his voice, although full of feeling, lacks clear diction. But the effort of listening to the words is rewarding.

Bert's images are strange and poetical 'Your love was like a child upon a rocking-horse, the colour black, who rides through a forest of dreams, and laughs at evils that cannot be seen. Yet like the ageing of a child at play, your love is broken and fades away'.

His songs are wistful and mostly deal with the sorrows of love, (and occasionally its pleasures), but there are also songs about social issues 'Do you hear me now?' and his instrumentals cover a wide variety of sounds.

One of his songs, 'Needle of Death', is a great favourite around the clubs and more frequently requested than anything else, except Davy Graham's 'Angie'. It deals with the death of a drug-addict 'Your troubled young life had made you turn to the needle of death', but at times it verges on sentimentality, which probably accounts for its popularity!

Bert gets excited, talking about various types of music. He says 'Don't try to differentiate between types of music'.

The artists he admires are: 'John Renbourne, full stop.... After that, a long way behind, come a lot more, but too many to name'.

On the new John Renbourne L.P., released by Transatlantic, they work together on two amazing guitar improvisations.

He wants to be able to go on developing in the field in which he has made his name: 'I will never be a great composer, but then I can't see myself singing like Elvis Presley either!'

His roots are deep in traditional music, and he says 'The best music is of the people, from the people, not from a few great men', but he sees the various categories into which people put music as moving closer together. 'It's my opinion that they'll invent more categories-they've already begun with 'Popular Classics' and 'Popular Folk Music'.

Bert Jansch is one of the people playing today, who is helping to combine the forms of music. His background is that of traditional folk music, but to this he brings guitar-playing of an extremely high musical standard and a gift for using words in an exciting way.

......................

Bert Jansch formed the Bert Jansch Conundrum in the late 1970s as a touring unit for his solo performances following the breakup of the original Pentangle. 

Another Coventry connection is an album titled Avocet. Released in 1979, this was Bert Jansch's twelfth solo album. It was also said that it was his favourite. Avocet is instrumental, concentrating on Jansch’s celebrated guitar work, free and clear of vocals. There are six tracks, each named after a sea or wading bird. That was until an expanded 40th anniversary version was released more recently. There were three people involved in the recording, Jansch on guitar and piano, Danny Thompson on bass and Coventry's Martin Jenkins (Ex Dando Shaft) on the wonderfully named mandocello, flute and violin. And those others do a sterling job of supporting him, working together well, knowing instinctively what is required at any given moment. There is not a note out of place.

Trev Teasdel saw the duo at the Fletch in Coventry c 1981 - he knew Martin from Dando Shaft days and said it was great to see the pair play together live - musical sparks were flying between them - their styles complimented each other.

Angie - Bert Jansch

 

Above Bert Jansch with Martin Jenkins

Bittern by Martin Jenkins and Bert Jansch,

Radiohead

 

Radiohead

by Pete Clemons

One Saturday in 1992 saw a normal unsuspecting Whipround event at Warwick University. The Spasmodics from Bristol. They were described as a long haired band, that apparently make the Manic Street Preachers look like Brownies. They had hope and a lot of record company interest.

Little did The Spasmodics know though, that when the band drove to the Uni, that they would meet their nemesis! For the support band that night had also had a lot of EMI interest and it was said that a record deal was in the offing for one of them. They were a 5 piece band from Oxford, lead by a singer with a bleach blonde mop of hair, who called themselves Radiohead!!

It wasn't long after that gig that they had the deal and the rest is.......!! So with that disappointment the Spasmodics headed off to France for a few dates and had a memorable time on tour! This proved to be the bands swan song though, as upon return to Bristol the band slowly fell apart, with stress, money, drugs, and musical differences all being cited as reasons. All the clichés really!

By the autumn of 1992 The Spasmodics had called it a day and gone their separate ways. The band, together since 1989, saw their various ex members getting involved in a lot of musical projects. None of those ventures have really matched the summer of 91 when a live album was recorded, and the great times they all shared together!

On the other hand Radiohead released 'Drill' EP later followed by 'Creep' single which was, slightly later, being reissued as an EP

The following year, 1993, and Radiohead were back. The 'Anyone can play guitar,' single had just been released and followed the acclaimed 'Creep' EP. It calmly blew away any sceptics who thought Radiohead had peaked early.

The eponymous track was a progression of their slightly unusual sound as they prove that they’re not just another 'bland-indie band'. 'It’s definitely a hit if it can get the play it deserves' predicted local pundits.

There are bands that like the idea of being a guitar band, the rest just like being a guitar band. What set Radiohead apart was a purpose far beyond posters and parties and making a noise with the lads.

During 1993 Radiohead's main aim is to surpass the standard set by Creep. Then the sky’s the limit. Which of course it was with the release in 1997 of OK Computer. The only criticism back in 1993 was that their records paled besides their live sound.

Creep had been heralded in locally with 'Radiohead worthy support of last year. Another production let-down: the guitar suffocation still hasn’t found its way onto vinyl. And another thing. The lyrics are so ingloriously morbid'.

'Such works live, for the quiet desperation of the words were always drowned by the ferocious stringed onslaught, a strong metaphor of depression'.

Thom Yorke, brothers Jonny Greenwood and Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien and Philip Selway certainly created some landmark records and influenced a whole generation.

Tim Bowness and The Butterfly Mind, Kidderminster

 

Tim Bowness and The Butterfly Mind, Kidderminster.

by Pete Clemons

Listening to a record 20 or 30 years on from its original release creates different feelings to those gained when you first heard it. And the same, it seems, applies to those who created it.

Founding member of the 1980s experimental pop rock band No-Man, Tim Bowness, appears to have found a fresh spring in his steps. And he has every reason to. He has recently put together a really excellent and fresh band called The Butterfly Mind. Together, Tim and the Butterfly Mind have been quietly gaining traction via several live shows that showcase, not only Tim's solo career, but also the wonderful music of No-Man.

Add to that the release of the recent box set, 'Housekeeping – The One Little Indian years 1990-1994' and its accompanying album 'Swagger', new life has now been breathed into the whole world of No-Man. But that was then.

After a recent gig an upbeat Tim said: 'I hope to do more gigs with the current band and we'd all be up for performing a more comprehensive tour. As it currently stands, we have two festival dates in April and July (I think!)'.

Tim continued 'As well as my forthcoming solo album (expected Summer release), we'll be (probably!) putting out a live album this year and that would be good to support with dates. In answer to your question re: the arranging of gigs, I used to have a booking agent, but at the moment I await offers or put things on myself (Kidderminster and Hope & Anchor, for example)'.

On this new line up Tim says 'While we want to be faithful to music it will never be note for note'.

At Kidderminster Tim and the band were on fire. At times it felt almost theatrical. There was drama and tension as you are drawn into the songs. Tim paces the stage like a caged animal but in a conspicuous way. Tim agreed 'It worked really well live, especially with Theo Travis on there. The band has really enjoying going through the No-Man catalogue.

A brief version of the familiar 'Another Winter' opened the Kidderminster set. This was quickly followed by 'Time Travel in Texas'. From there it was straight into the mesmerising section of 'All the Blue Changes' and 'Wherever There is Light'.

The tempo changed gear slightly as a clutch of songs from Tim Bowness' solo albums followed. But it all cranked up ferociously as the No-Man songs took off again.

A huge surprise of the evening was the announcement of 'Sweetheart Raw' a song not heard live in decades. The band handled it magnificently.

Another source of excitement came during the encores when 'Mouth Was Blue' was introduced. Again it held a certain familiarity.

The set was wrapped up with the final song 'A Stand-Up for the Dying' which is a song from Tim's next solo album.

Is this fresh impetus in No-Man shared by all its protagonists?

On that Tim mentioned: 'Hopefully No-Man will record together again with original violinist Ben Coleman. I think we can recapture spirit and do something different with it. The Butterfly Mind was possibly a direction No-Man could have gone in. There is still lots of life in that No-Man material when played live. As such Tim feels more comfortable producing that music live now than ever. Steven Wilson is less keen on nature of touring.

The last time we reformed no-man was that my band. They knew the music inside out and Steven could just join in with us.

Now I have a completely different band and, musically, they are different again. This is as exciting a band I have ever been with. The music has been redirected and refashioned and I think Steven would quite enjoy it.

Its all very mouth watering but only time will tell.